Support NeoGAF

[overcast]

Rap wins again. Pitchfork knows the deal.

I kind of wish they did. Yet there are a ton of great under appreciated albums that were thrown under the bus for tripe like Rich Gang and Azelia Banks. I can understand the YG love, even though I don't follow with it.

It's an okay list though. Didn't care for War on Drugs or Benji.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

I pretty much just stream Pitchfork BNM (and other albums from artists I discover as a result) and it tends to do me well. It's a great place to discover a pretty wide range of music without actually spending much time involved in the larger music scene (which seems super fragmented, I can never really find an entry point).

I started doing this two or three years ago and I went from obsessing over one or two albums a year from the same stable of artists I've been listening to since my high school days to actively discovering (on a personal level, obviously) new artists every other week. I don't have a person or, I don't know, other entity in my life that ever would have exposed me to such a wide range of styles and influences.

I don't claim to have particularly original taste and I don't really talk about music much with other people, but it's immensely satisfying to look over that list of album covers and associate memories and experiences from the past year with them. I'm super appreciative.

 

[royalan]

LOL - this paragraph describing FKA Twigs' LP1 pretty much sums up why I can never take anything even remotely Pitchfork related seriously:

Nevertheless, the quiet, sensual revelations came like they were dispatched in a post-coital haze, doling directions, requests, and a map of her fantasies in percussive coos that are 85% sigh. The album orbits from bed to head and back again, though she’s often alone, giving light to the topography of her needs, nasty or otherwise. Even when she sings of being together, as on “Two Weeks”, it’s only in her brain, distilling a freaky tableau vivant she is trying to put into someone else’s head; it’s certainly the slinkiest zipless fuck 2014 offered. But it’s not some baby-making you-and-me all night long love, it’s very much individuals working towards a connection that they know is doomed.

Like...wut? lol

And I say that as a FKA Twigs fan. Pitchfork perpetually has its head up all sorts of ass.

 

[number11]

People still read Pitchfork reviews? Their writers suck.. but I still use them as a decent source for discovering new music.

It's funny how people complain that the list is safe, yet others complain about not knowing anyone on the list.

 

[Helmholtz]

LOL - this paragraph describing FKA Twigs' LP1 pretty much sums up why I can never take anything even remotely Pitchfork related seriously:



Like...wut? lol

And I say that as a FKA Twigs fan. Pitchfork perpetually has its head up all sorts of ass.

Wow, that is fucking terrible.

People still read Pitchfork reviews? Their writers suck.. but I still use them as a decent source for discovering new music..

Agreed. I don't think I've actually ever read a full review of theirs. But I give the BNM section a quick glance once in a while to find new albums. Obviously it's not perfect as some of my favorite albums have received middling scores there, but it's something.

 

[hidys]

For people complaining that the list is safe they should check out the top 10's from the individual contributors.

 

[Snuggles]

Serious question: do hipsters deserve to live? If so, should they be free to live or be sent to labor camps?

 

[Blearth]

I kind of wish they did. Yet there are a ton of great under appreciated albums that were thrown under the bus for tripe like Rich Gang and Azelia Banks. I can understand the YG love, even though I don't follow with it.

It's an okay list though. Didn't care for War on Drugs or Benji.

Rich Gang is sick.

 

[overcast]

Rich Gang is sick.

I think I've listened to 5-10 superior trap/party albums in 2014. I actually cannot understand the love in any sense for Rich Gang. But a lot of people seem to like it, idk.

 

[Onemic]

They fucked up by not waiting for D'angelos album to come out first. That's the bonafide #1 album of the year

 

[IrishNinja]

poor des

Rich Gang and Azealia Banks higher than Gibbs' Pinata

nah breh

this is a very real complaint, yeah

I guess I'm officially old, I knew only a handful of stuff on that list, and the #1 well I gave it a listen, and naw...what happened to hip-hop?

it went bad around the might aughts, and got way way better in the years since

If we were talking about Iil' Wayne or someone like that then I could understand this reaction to an extent. But RTJ2 is like one of the most old school rap albums in a long time. Like Pitchfork said, it screams Public Enemy and early Ice Cube.

yuuuup, couldn'tve said it better myself
shit bangs, and the way these two play off each other is so much better than even in RTJ1, for me

Nooooooooo, no no no no.

It really doesn't

it really really does, kinda doubting how much you heard/remember of those artists
Killer Mike's R.A.P. music is another fine example

You're Dead is a much better album than Run the Jewels.

that wasn't even one of Flylo's better albums bruh

 

[leng jai]

Disappointed Ultraviolence didn't make it on there. Perfume Genius at 11 pleases me though.

 

[WanderingWind]

Disappointed Ultraviolence didn't make it on there. Perfume Genius at 11 pleases me though.

Ultraviolence was pretty meh. And I skirt dangerous close to being a Lana stan. Born to Die is one of my favorite albums of all time. Ultraviolence was way too homogeneous and faux dark. Sort of the pop equivalent of angry Eminem in 2014. She really isn't that sad, and she doesn't sell it worth a crap on most of the tracks. Black Beauty is great, Kilos is great, Fucked is great, the rest....meh on a hundred thousand trillion.

 

[leng jai]

Ultraviolence was pretty meh. And I skirt dangerous close to being a Lana stan. Born to Die is one of my favorite albums of all time. Ultraviolence was way too homogeneous and faux dark. Sort of the pop equivalent of angry Eminem in 2014. She really isn't that sad, and she doesn't sell it worth a crap on most of the tracks. Black Beauty is great, Kilos is great, Fucked is great, the rest....meh on a hundred thousand trillion.

I'm the opposite. I thought Born To Die was just good and Ultraviolence consistently great. How can you say Old Money and Brooklyn baby are meh?

 

[WanderingWind]

I'm the opposite. I thought Born To Die was just good and Ultraviolence consistently great. How can you say Old Money and Brooklyn baby are meh?

I dunno. How can you say Born to Die was just good, Mr. My New Nemesis? I found them to just be dull. It's at best, background music. I wanted to love it. I tried, I really did. I gave it waaaaay more spins than most music I don't care for. Just didn't do it for me.

 

[Carcetti]

I don't generally read Pitchfork but some of the traditional mags/zines went down last year so I figured I could find some new music. Listening to those soundcloud links, I can just think that either music has gotten very narrow or they just cater to a very small slice of it. Have to say that while I don't generally listen to any hip hop, that pick for number 1 was pretty damn good listening.

 

[overcast]

Really nothing wrong with their list imo. It's just pretty by the numbers. I love 3 of the top 10 (RTJ, Twigs, and Caribou), and thus far really like another (I've only listened to Terje a few times). I do fucking hate the way they write though man, Jesus.

Still haven't listened to Ariel Pink's album. Shocked Tune-Yards didn't make the top 50 actually. They liked it quite a bit.

 

[hidys]

Really nothing wrong with their list imo. It's just pretty by the numbers. I love 3 of the top 10 (RTJ, Twigs, and Caribou), and thus far really like another (I've only listened to Terje a few times). I do fucking hate the way they write though man, Jesus.

Still haven't listened to Ariel Pink's album. Shocked Tune-Yards didn't make the top 50 actually. They liked it quite a bit.

Ariel Pink's album is fucking amazing. I would definitely recommend a listen.

 

[Chuckie]

I am getting fucking old. I only knew Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Azealia Banks, Lykke Li and Aphex Twin from that entire list :/

 

[Snuggles]

I'm pushing thirty in a couple years but I know all these dudes. Age is no excuse to tune out unless you choose to.

 

[Chuckie]

I'm pushing thirty in a couple years but I know all these dudes. Age is no excuse to tune out unless you choose to.

I'm pushing 40 though. As a teenager you are constantly discussing music with your classmates so it is easier to keep up with the new stuff. If music is your passion or a big hobby, then of course you can keep up with everything, but it does take way more effort than in high school.
So yeah age is an excuse.

 

[Rootbeer]

I love this time of year because it gives me a chance to look back on the year of music and all the stuff I either overlooked or simply never saw in the first place because SO MUCH gets released these days that a lot of it just gets filtered out or not properly acknowledged, even some really amazing stuff.

I've really been loving War On Drugs, Swans and Caribou who's albums I did catch, but going to take a closer look at their top 50 and some other top music pics from this thread over the weekend.

 

[WanderingWind]

I'm pushing thirty in a couple years but I know all these dudes. Age is no excuse to tune out unless you choose to.

Oh, wow, you're in your 20s and talking about age.

Come on son.

 

[Peru]

I'm pushing thirty in a couple years but I know all these dudes. Age is no excuse to tune out unless you choose to.

So you're younger than most of these artists and writers.

 

[Messofanego]

I am getting fucking old. I only knew Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Azealia Banks, Lykke Li and Aphex Twin from that entire list :/

Or you mostly listen to pop.

 

[Suzaku]

Ariana Grande and Aphex Twin on the same list? It's like they're picking the most sugary bubblegum pop and the densest and most impenetrable of genres on purpose, just to proclaim how broad and worldy their knowledge of music is. For some reason I feel like they don't really like either. Pitchfork's end of the year lists are kind of like the Armond White of musical criticism, they do a magnificent job of trolling the internet at large while bringing in views for their website.

 

[Kusagari]

I honestly don't think age has anything to do with it. How many people were really discussing artists like Perfume Genius or Twigs with their classmates? The ones you would discuss are the same ones anyone with a modicum of pop culture knowledge would know like Ariana and Taylor.

You either keep up with the indie music scene or don't.

 

[WanderingWind]

I honestly don't think age has anything to do with it. How many people were really discussing artists like Perfume Genius or Twigs with their classmates? The ones you would discuss are the same ones anyone with a modicum of pop culture knowledge would know like Ariana and Taylor.

You either keep up with the indie music scene or don't.

Plus, you know. If you're truly old and out of the loop, barely-not-kid pop starlets like Grande would be the last person you'd know. That's way more a symbol of being young than anything.

 

[teruterubozu]

I'm over 40 and shocked there's no Tycho - Awake on this list, but OK with War on Drugs in the top 10.

 

[Messofanego]

I'm over 40 and shocked there's no Tycho - Awake on this list, but OK with War on Drugs in the top 10.

Loved Tycho's album and the more organic direction. Great one to put in the car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEI1_oGPQr0

 

[Weasley]

They fucked up by not waiting for D'angelos album to come out first. That's the bonafide #1 album of the year

Completely agree with this.

Guess lots of sites and magazines are facepalming themselves for two days straight now.

 

[LegoArmo]

I've only heard of 2 artists in the top 10. Shame on me.

 

[Kilvin]

I knew two artists on that entire list. No surprise.

I think I knew three :/

And I don't even like any of them.

 

[Futureman]

For some reason I feel like they don't really like either.

LOL

 

[hidys]

Ariana Grande and Aphex Twin on the same list? It's like they're picking the most sugary bubblegum pop and the densest and most impenetrable of genres on purpose, just to proclaim how broad and worldy their knowledge of music is. For some reason I feel like they don't really like either. Pitchfork's end of the year lists are kind of like the Armond White of musical criticism, they do a magnificent job of trolling the internet at large while bringing in views for their website.

The list is compiled by multiple people. It isn't surprising that it would be somewhat eclectic.

 

[thabiz]

lay off the booze snuggles

 

[Ivan 3414]

I'm pushing 40 though. As a teenager you are constantly discussing music with your classmates so it is easier to keep up with the new stuff. If music is your passion or a big hobby, then of course you can keep up with everything, but it does take way more effort than in high school.
So yeah age is an excuse.

I don't think it's that hard to keep up with new music in this day and age, unless you don't really want to. Most of the new music I download I hear about from various sources on the internet. If you spend some time on GAF you can find some new artist you might like as well. But I'm not 40; maybe I won't care to search then.

 

[Kusagari]

Ariana Grande and Aphex Twin on the same list? It's like they're picking the most sugary bubblegum pop and the densest and most impenetrable of genres on purpose, just to proclaim how broad and worldy their knowledge of music is. For some reason I feel like they don't really like either. Pitchfork's end of the year lists are kind of like the Armond White of musical criticism, they do a magnificent job of trolling the internet at large while bringing in views for their website.

One, Ariana is far from "the must sugary bubblegum pop."

Two, it's possible to like both Ariana Grande and Aphex Twin. I, in fact, do, Shocker, some people have eclectic music tastes.

Three, the comparison to Armond doesn't even make sense. His entire schtich is praising bad movies and trashing good ones. Basically every album on here was praised by the majority of music critics. This list is safe if anything.

 

[see5harp]

Loved Tycho's album and the more organic direction. Great one to put in the car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEI1_oGPQr0

Tycho was definitely more interesting live with the band. I sorta feel like he's sorta retreading a lot of the same water at this point though.

 

[Suzaku]

The list is compiled by multiple people. It isn't surprising that it would be somewhat eclectic.

I realize this list is made by committee and I'm not surprised the list is eclectic. In fact that's the point I was trying to make, it's too eclectic. The list feels forced to me, like they trying to prove to everyone they listen to everything no matter how popular or unpopular they are. I hate using the word, but the list feels like a bunch of hipsters trying to prove they're not just a bunch of pretentious hipsters by throwing in stuff like Ariana Grande and Tinashe.

 

[Suzaku]

One, Ariana is far from "the must sugary bubblegum pop."

Two, it's possible to like both Ariana Grande and Aphex Twin. I, in fact, do, Shocker, some people have eclectic music tastes.

Three, the comparison to Armond doesn't even make sense. His entire schtich is praising bad movies and trashing good ones. Basically every album on here was praised by the majority of music critics. This list is safe if anything.

To each his own. Of course it is possible to like both, although I happen to dislike both. Pitchfork sometimes praises albums I feel are quite terrible.

 

[hidys]

I realize this list is made by committee and I'm not surprised the list is eclectic. In fact that's the point I was trying to make, it's too eclectic. The list feels forced to me, like they trying to prove to everyone they listen to everything no matter how popular or unpopular they are. I hate using the word, but the list feels like a bunch of hipsters trying to prove they're not just a bunch of pretentious hipsters by throwing in stuff like Ariana Grande and Tinashe.

You can always check out the individual top 10's and see who picked what.

 

[Suite Pee]

Decent list, but I've only ever really cared about Sputnik's staff and user lists (I've been on there since it was Musician Forums).

Pitchfork has gotten better about metal and hardcore, but they're still not the greatest. I need to look at all the albums that came out. Luckily, the past two years I've been making Spotify playlists that cover most releases that aren't just on bandcamp ("2013," "2014").

Edit: Sputnik's staff list was pretty good. It started to falter around the top ten, but I really love Trophy Scars and I'm glad that at least some people are giving them the acclaim they deserve. Behemoth's new album is also great, but, honestly, one of my favorite metal albums this year was from Every Time I Die.

I imagine the user list will give it up for that album, maybe Animals as Leaders, Casualties of Cool (Devin Townsend), maybe Locktender (who are just getting more well-known), Pallbearer, Hail the Sun (though I'm starting to be wary of that style of post-hardcore), Kayo Dot, Lord Mantis, Secret Band (doubtful), Circa Survive (haven't listened to it enough yet), 68, Revocation, Godflesh, BADBADNOTGOOD, etc.

Glas to see a lot of sites giving Thou's "Heathen" high marks. They're crazy live.

 

[Outdoor Miner]

Really nice seeing Todd Terje in the top ten. Everyone should give "It's Album time" a listen, it's fantastic.

I was surprised PFork put it so high. Definitely nice to see, fucking fantastic album and probably my personal AOTY.

 

[Peru]

Album Time is nice but couldn't reach the GOAT level of the singles leading up to it.

 

[Futureman]

ok you guys got me, listening to Terje. Not my type of music at all but I'm enjoying the intro !

 

[tycoonheart]

Maybe I'm just a dope but here's an exert from the #1 album..



What does that even mean? Seriously..no idea. Do people enjoy reading this style of writing?

They are basically saying "Fuck the slo-mo".

 

[hidys]

Yeah Album Time is pretty sweet.

Really dig Delorean Dynamite.

 

[Outdoor Miner]

Put me in the camp that doesn't understand the FKA Twigs worship. I guess I'm getting too old for this shit.

dannyglover.gif

 

[overcast]

You guys know young people "don't get" shit too right?